Indiana State University Newsroom

WISU to celebrate 50th anniversary

October 6, 2014

WISU, Indiana State University's student radio station, will celebrate its 50th anniversary this week with a reception, panel discussion and an event at Tent City during Sycamore Homecoming activities.

Since its first broadcast on Nov. 3, 1964, hundreds of students have learned the ropes of broadcasting and fine-tuned their skills on 89.7 FM.

Since mid-September, student-run, music intensive programing has aired on the new university radio station, WZIS, 90.7. WISU now broadcasts news and information programing from National Public Radio thanks to a partnership with WFYI in Indianapolis. Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology transferred its radio station at 90.7 to Indiana State to enable the student-focused programming to continue.

Today, WISU is run by Richard Green, general manager and student manager Max Slizewski. Many other students work on-air and behind the scenes.

A panel discussion featuring three Indiana State broadcasting alumni is set for 2 p.m. Friday in Dreiser Hall, Room 222. Scheduled participants are Vaso Michaels, program director for The Fan 99.5 FM and 1130 AM in Terre Haute; John Swaner, a reporter with WTHI-TV News10; and Christina Schmidt, a disc jockey with WMGI, 100.7 MIX FM. An open house at the WISU/WZIS studios will follow the discussion from 2:30 to 4 p.m.

An anniversary reception will take place at 7 p.m. on Friday in Hulman Memorial Student Union. Tickets can be purchased at www.wisufm.org.

WISU staff will walk in the annual Blue and White Homecoming Parade beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday. Following the parade, the anniversary celebration wrap up at Tent City on the grounds of Memorial Stadium as students and staff from WISU/WZIS play music and provide food and fun.

"WISU is proud of its accomplishments and we're excited to see what the next 50 years has in store for the station and its students," said Green.

All events are open to the community and those affiliated with Indiana State.

Story Highlights

Indiana State University's student radio station, which went on the air Nov. 3, 1964, will mark its 50th anniversary a few weeks early in conjunction with this year's university Homecoming celebration.